Tatsunoko_Productions

Tatsunoko Production

Tatsunoko Production

Japanese animation studio


Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. (株式会社タツノコプロ, Kabushiki gaisha Tatsunoko Puro)[lower-alpha 1] and often shortened to Tatsunoko Pro (タツノコプロ, Tatsunoko Puro), is a Japanese animation company. The studio's name has a double meaning in Japanese: "Tatsu's child" (Tatsu is a nickname for Tatsuo) and "sea dragon", the inspiration for its seahorse logo.[3][4] Tatsunoko's headquarters are in Musashino, Tokyo.[1]

Quick Facts Native name, Romanized name ...

History

The studio was founded in October 1962 by mangaka and anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida and his brothers Kenji and Toyoharu (better known by his pen name "Ippei Kuri") at Tatsuo's own house. [3] It began as a collective of mangakas which soon expanded into an animation studio. [5] [6]

Tatsunoko, as credited in Space Ace, its first production

The studio's first production was the 1965 TV series Space Ace.[citation needed] Since then many figures in the anime industry have worked with Tatsunoko, including Mizuho Nishikubo, Hiroshi Sasagawa, Koichi Mashimo, Katsuhisa Yamada, Hideaki Anno (Tatsunoko provided animation work on the Neon Genesis Evangelion TV series), and Kazuo Yamazaki.[citation needed] Sasagawa is notable for bringing his fondness for comedy animation to the forefront in Tatsunoko series such as the Time Bokan (1975) franchise.[7] The company later licensed Super Dimension Fortress Macross to Harmony Gold, who then produced Robotech.[citation needed]

Takara acquired Tatsunoko on June 3, 2005 after purchasing an 88 percent stake and made the company a subsidiary.[8] Production I.G was established in 1987 as I.G. Tatsunoko, a branch for the production of Zillion led by Mitsuhisa Ishikawa.[9][10][11]

In 2009, Tatsunoko announced that it would collaborate with Marvel Comics on a joint television project and other ventures.[12] IG Port announced on June 2, 2010 that its subsidiary, Production I.G, had purchased an 11.2 percent stake in Tatsunoko. Production I.G president Mitsuhisa Ishikawa became a part-time director of the studio.[13]

Talent agency Horipro announced on February 23, 2013 that it had acquired a 13.5 percent stake in Tatsunoko.[14] At Anime Expo 2013, Sentai Filmworks announced a deal to license and release some of Tatsunoko's titles, including Gatchaman and Casshan.[15] Nippon TV announced on January 29, 2014 that it had purchased a 54.3 percent stake in Tatsunoko and adopted the company as its subsidiary.[16][17][18]

In 2017, two short films titled Pandora to Akubi were released. These were the first works produced under Tatsunoko's "Bakken Record" label, which was officially established in April 2019.[19]

Representative directors

  • Tatsuo Yoshida (1962–1977)
  • Kenji Yoshida (1977–1987)
  • Ippei Kuri (1987–2005)
  • Kouki Narushima (2005–2010)
  • Keita Satou (2010–2012)
  • Shuuichirou Tanaka (2012–2014)[20]
  • Yuuzou Kuwahara (2014–2019)
  • Daisuke Kadoya (2019–2022)[21][22]
  • Kyou Itou (2022–present)[23]

Main productions

1960s

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1970s

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1980s

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1990s

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2000s

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2010s

2020s

Co-productions

Anime studios founded by former animators

Notes

  1. Formerly written Kabushiki gaisha Tatsunoko Purodakushon (株式会社竜の子プロダクション), 1962–2013

References

  1. "Tatsunoko Pro". Tatsunoko.co.jp. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  2. {{cite web|author=Jorge Khoury
  3. Macias, Patrick (2008-07-03). "'Speed Racer': drawing on an anime legend". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 2016-04-12. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
  4. Chris Feldman (2007-08-02). "Anime Reviews: Stand Alone with Bokan & The Third". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on 2008-12-01. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  5. "Takara acquires animation studio". The Japan Times. 2005-07-03. Retrieved 2015-12-17.
  6. "石川社長が20年を語る 「プロダクション I.G 創立20周年記念展」開催中". mycom.co.jp (in Japanese). 2007-12-28. Archived from the original on 2008-06-06. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  7. Loo, Egan (2010-06-01). "Production I.G to Acquire 11.2% Stake in Tatsunoko". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
  8. Loo, Egan (2013-02-12). "HoriPro Agency Acquires Stake in Anime Studio Tatsunoko – News". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  9. Ressler, Karen (2013-07-04). "Sentai Filmworks Signs Deal with Tatsunoko Production (Updated) - News". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  10. Loo, Egan (2014-01-29). "NTV Buys 54.3% Stake in Anime Studio Tatsunoko Production". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2014-01-29.
  11. "Tomy to sell Tatsunoko Production to TV station". Nikkei. 2014-01-29. Archived from the original on 2015-01-10. Retrieved 2015-01-09.
  12. "ABOUT". Bakken Record (in Japanese). Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  13. "タツノコプロ | 会社概要". 2019-06-01. Archived from the original on 2019-06-26. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
  14. "タツノコプロ │ 会社概要". 2022-06-01. Archived from the original on 2022-06-05. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
  15. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (November 25, 2022). "Tatsunoko Pro Reveals Original Pole Dancing Anime Pole Princess!!". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  16. Mateo, Alex (March 23, 2024). "Turkey! Original Bowling Anime Reveals Teaser Trailer, 2025 Premiere". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 23, 2024.

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